vyruz Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Just for the record: I changed my F900BT for a Kenwood DNX-8220BT and lived happily ever after... OK there's still no voice recognition support for iPOD/iPHONE (which I don't have anyway, Android all the way ), but at least I have voice dial support. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
placerda Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've bought the 900BT also thinking on the VC and got very disappointed when the VC didn't work and after reading several threads on this forum. Have anyone tried to install some voice recognition software for Win CE after hacking the avic-f units to see if it's usefull? If it would be usefull I think the easiest thing to do after that would be assigning the button so it would launch the voice recognition software upon any button press. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
klanbo Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Just an update on this. I have managed to get my EU model (UK) into US mode. I was basically having problems with my Bluetooth after doing a mod to improve the iGo nav screen. Anyway, I found a backup of the entire flash drive from an F90bt (a US only model) on this forum. Backed up my entire flash drive, then deleted everything and the replaced with the US files. I had to use the hacked version of ezrider.exe and the world wide licence as the US maps wouldn't work otherwise. The unit works ok but no voice commands yet. One thing I have noticed is that in test mode, under system properties and device name it says F700bt, even though it's an F900bt. Can anyone tell me what the US version says? Just curious. I'm going to keep at it as I have a few ideas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BorisM Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 The unit works ok but no voice commands yet. One thing I have noticed is that in test mode, under system properties and device name it says F700bt, even though it's an F900bt. Can anyone tell me what the US version says? Just curious. I'm going to keep at it as I have a few ideas. They all say that., because they run exactly the same software. Actual device model is determined from some hardware switches. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
klanbo Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Thanks for that Boris. I assume you mean the Windows CE software? I'd also like to know how the US volume button works. If you're in iPod mode for instance, do you push the button upwards to activate voice commands or inwards? If I push mine upwards noting happens, push it in briefly in nothing happens, push it in and hold and it mutes. In Nav mode pusing up zooms in and pusing in repeats last route command, is the US one the same? I know this is probably pointless as it's likely there is a hardware difference, but I don't mind trying. Also, one final thing. In the F90BT (US) flash drive in APL2, there is only 2 folders.....1 iGo, 1 VBT. There isn't supposed to be another one is there? Thanks!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BorisM Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Thanks for that Boris. I assume you mean the Windows CE software? I'd also like to know how the US volume button works. If you're in iPod mode for instance, do you push the button upwards to activate voice commands or inwards? If I push mine upwards noting happens, push it in briefly in nothing happens, push it in and hold and it mutes. In Nav mode pusing up zooms in and pusing in repeats last route command, is the US one the same? I know this is probably pointless as it's likely there is a hardware difference, but I don't mind trying. Also, one final thing. In the F90BT (US) flash drive in APL2, there is only 2 folders.....1 iGo, 1 VBT. There isn't supposed to be another one is there? Thanks!! Yes, this is what CE reports. But all units run exactly the same navigation and AV software, too... To activate voice control on US units you push the button in. Hardware differences that were found so far are limited to different radio tuners and some switrches on the PCB that control country, DVD region settings, etc... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
klanbo Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Making some progress....I think! I've got the Win32XMLApp.exe (in APL2/VBT) working and it recognises my voice commands. If I try and run VBTEngine.exe from Test Mode it just crashes the system. Here's the app: VoiceBox_CallMum.JPG[/attachment] It recongnised the command!! Here's another one, I said "Cancel that" and it picked up what I said [attachment=0]VoiceBox_CancelThat.JPG[/attachment] I'm guessing if I could launch VBTEngine.exe while the system is up and running, it might work. Not sure how we might get the volume button to do that, but how about Boris's suggestion of putting a "soft" button on the nav screen or the ipod screen to launch it. I've not looked into modding stuff like that yet, assuming it's all in data.zip? Judging from what I've seen I don't think it should be too difficult? Can anyone help? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bego Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Is there any update on the Voice Command for the UK model yet??? I only bought the unit as i thought it had VC, when i found it didnt have it i was very dissapointed. Why did pioneer leave it out for eveyone but the US. Im sorry but it just takes the piss. P.S well done guys for all the hard work so far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
klanbo Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Hi Bego, you're not alone, I did the exact same thing. Was sold by the Voce rec and was gutted when I realised we didn't get it in the UK. I'm guessing the reason they left it out has something to do with the fact that Voice recognition doesn't work as well for us in the UK as our accents vary massively. Either that or the developers can't be bothered to develop it for such a small market (compared to the US at least). Same thing with iPhone voice apps, it's all geared towards the US market. In the UK we probably have 10 million people with close to "standard english" (so news reader like) accents. In the US there are probably ten times that! I might be wrong but I can understand all Americans no matter where they're from, I can't say the same for the UK. I've lost count of the times when I've had to just nod and smile at a Glaswegian or someone with a think Irish accent.....I think you get my point However, I wish they'd have just added it in anyway as I'd rather it worked badly than not at all. Perhaps the new version 3 software will bring us VR....but I won't hold my breath. Just so you know though, I'm over it now though and happy with the unit. The start up time isn't an issue for me and is easily compensated by the fact that you can totally mod it, definitely think this is better than the Kenwoods. Sorry for rambling!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bego Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Klanbo, I noticed u got it working in what looks to be test mode, did u not pursue this or have u given up? Thanks for the reply btw I suppose it makes sense with what u said, still think they shouldn't have taken it out though it will work for most of us or at least made it an option. What's more is I think on one of pioneers newer models they have VR for the UK and the screen is tiltable!!! Anyway I work for an IT company and am good friends with some of the programmers, I have asked if they can have a look to see if they can get it to work. Can anyone tell me what I will need to provide them? I'm guessing the uk data and the US data and the windows platform maybe? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
another gsxr 1k Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Not sure where you folks are on this. But if you want a copy of the F700 2.0 "Myflashdisk" to compare, pm me your email address and I can set you up to download it. Full size is 1.6Gb, but You can / could lower that by not downloading the maps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bego Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Please excuse my ignorance does the f700 have voice control? and is it UK spec? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bego Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Just a thought, has anyone tried downloading the american software and just swapping the maps over so the maps are UK? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
klanbo Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 Please excuse my ignorance does the f700 have voice control? and is it UK spec? I believe all the F series US models have voice control. The F700 comes in UK and US spec, as does the F500 and the F900. The US get a Premier model too, the F90. Anyway, yes I have tried putting the US software on the UK model, still no voice control with both US maps and UK maps, no joy though. As much as I'd love this to work I don't really have the time to spend on it, but more importantly I don't have the expertise!! I was hoping that a "soft" button could be placed on the screen to activate the voice rec software, but from what I've read it's harder than it sounds. The problem seems to be calling an executable file, in this case the VBTEngine.exe from the Pioneer software. I think if it could somehow be launched at startup along with the other .EXE's (like MainMenu, Ezrider, AV, Navi, Video, etc) then it might be possible to call VBTEngine.exe using the "EXEC" function.....but that's beyond me at the moment. It's a bit like trying to add a button to Outlook that will open iTunes, I wouldn't even know where to start but I bet someone does. Boris and Stephanie appear to be good at this sort of thing, how are your bribery skills? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
antman99 Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 sorry to rain on your parade but iv noticed a big problem, in our settings menu we have nothing about VR ipod cataloguing so this to me suggests there is something else it does maybe another task or exe. and i tried the whole US firmware on EU unit it works but no closer to VR. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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